One comment about this bigike and then I’ll shut up and listen. While it’s true that safety will always be the most importent tool in the shop, there’s another factor that we all seem to be forgetting especially when it comes to flesh detectors. The more we depend on automatic safety devices to save us, the more imminent danger awareness we lose. What I mean to say is that if we train ourselves over time and the use of these devices to automaticly feel safe when walking into a dangerous invirenment the more insensitive we “and our children” will become to real danger. Don’t get me wrong though, I certainly don’t advicate intentional ingury in order to achieve a cautious mindset, but over the years I’ve noticed that when I walk into and use someone elses shop thats equiped in a different way than mine ,there is a lot more opportunity for injury. I realy feel that we are in a way, “dumbing ourselves down” every time we make our surroundings a little safer.

Tim I aggree with that to a point but I believe the more available safety features a dangerous piece of equipment has, the better it is to have them installed. Woodworking is a dangerous occupation or hobby (depending on ones own circumstances) and most people who have done it for more than a little while are aware of the danger and accept the consequneces of that danager. I think these upgrades to safety equipment are great for beginner, but those that have been doing it a while might not be too quick to have them installed.

WE don’t know if any tablesaw makers will take up this new technology offer and we don’t know how much it will cost as an add-on item for existing tablesaws. But the prices of SAWSTOP would be a good reference and that’s, if the add-on kit is not competitive, it will not survive. If I were to pay $1500 for the improvement to my tablesaw as someone suggested, I wouldn`t consider it because a new SAWSTOP would just cost me $2500 or so (and that`s a much better saw than the one I have). As far as I know, in addition to SAWSTOP and Whirlwind, there`s a third finger-saving technology in the development phase. There`s no denying that at certain point future tablesaws will be equipped with some kind of such technology (just like ABS and SCS (stability system, or even all-wheel (in the case of all Volvo cars)). My hope is more and more such technologies will be developed so consumers will benefit from the competition. Hey, SAWSTOP (contractor) may be retailed for just $2,000 or less in a few years down the road if Delta, Rigid, etc. offer their versions of `SAWSTOP.`

It’s true,I have a saw stop in my shop.It is by far the best table saw I have ever used.But,If you have more than one saw in your shop like I do you better not forget what saw your working with.I do feel myself putting my fingers a little closer to the blade than I use to thinking everything will be fine and then I look down and relize I’m working with my Delta saw.

Well there you had to go and throw that out. I don’t ever see me getting a discount then.

I went to high school and learned how to use a table saw before all these gaurds were required. When I got my old Craftsman, it didn’t come with a guard: I guess the previous owner didn’t use it either. I am too stuck in my ways to run out and install a guard, but I accept the consequence of the dagerous environment I work in as a hobby.

Maybe-so CessnaPilotBarry, but what about when you fly through the B.T. and you loose all of your insteraments, will you be able to fly by the seat of your pants? I guess thats my philosophical question,but I do apreciate your input.